Apparatus for gluing-off and end sheet pasting



Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH, JR., ETAL APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Filed Dec. 17. 1948 12 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT 0R5 i'dwm if. 81111711, It By Litarles IVBudfleq H TTORNE) Qct. 14, 1952 E. K; SMITH, JR., EI'AL 2,613,375

' APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PAST-ING Filed Dec. 17, 1948 12 Sheetsesheet 2 INVENTORS Edwin E Skiff/11]]:

BY a ar/as il fim'fflfy Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH, JR, ETAL. 2,613,375

APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Filed Dec 17, 1943 12 sheets-sheet 3 INVENTORS Marin ff .S'nnY/mfi:

By Maria: Ii? flat/f [1y I? TTORNEY Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH JR, ETAL 2,613,375

APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Filed Dec. 17, 1948 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 I fldwl g gg i fn v (harks Mint/ lay FITTUR/VEY Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH, JR, ETAL APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEE'i PAST ING Filed Dec. 17. 1948 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. K. SMiTH, JR., ETAL APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Filed Dec. 1'1. 1948 Oct. 14, 1952 i2 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTdRS Edwin E 51111711, .17:

a m H n Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH, JR, ET'AL APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Filed Dec. 17. 1948 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 l lill I uimlg. I

ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1952 E. K.SM1TH.JR., ETAL 2,613,375

APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END sum PASTING Filed Dec. l7. 1948 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 I N V EN TOR; ll'Hu/in ff J'milh, [it

HTTOF/VEY Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH, JR, ETAL 2,513,375

APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Filed Dec. 17, 1948 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS [21mm K Judi/mi:

APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING Oct. 14, 1952 :2. K. SMITH, JR, ETAL l2 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Dec.

VENTORS' By fliarlas Z. liar/ 1e Oct. 14, 1952 E. K. SMITH, JR., ETAL APPARATUS FOR GLUING-OFF AND END SHEET PASTING l2 Sheets-Sheet 12 Filed Dec. 17, 1948 INVENTORJ fif Saul/t, .12: BY (fiar/as Mina/flay Patented Oct. 14, 1952 APPARATUS Edwin K. smith, in. New York, and Charles W.v I Buckley, Mount. Vernon, N. Y., assignors, by I mesne assignments, to The de Florez Company, v 1

- Inc., a corporation of Delaware I 7 Application December 17, 1948, Serial No. 65,764

4 claims. (Cl. 11-1) This invention relategto 'bookbindinig and more particularly to the method and apparatus for applying gluing-off adhesive to the sewn back of a page block and the'drying thereofyand to' the applying of end sheets to the page block.

An important object orthis invention-is 'to eliminate the time-consuming operations which are associated with thepastingof endsheets to page blocks and gluing-"offthe sewn backs of pageblocks. The present processes of efi'ecting these operations includeseparately folding the end sheets and pasting them by hand or in a separate magazine-fed pasting machine to the front and bapkof the signatures of the book before the latterfaregathered'and sewn into book form. The gluing-oft operations include hand feeding the page-blocks toia machine which jogs the backs, into" a level positionand then applies a layer ofi'latex-emulsion or ;hotmeltplastic to glue-oil the sewn: 'backsbf the books, in order to bind the signatures intofirm but flexible backs.

The glued-01f books are then stacked by hand on pallets, "and thereaiter the pallets are moved through. a suitable ovenffor drying the adhesive.

An important purpose of this invention isto provide a single apparatus in which successive page'blocks may bejcontinuously advanced and the operations of aligning the page blocks, pasting the end sheetsftpfthe outer signatures orthe page, blocks, gluing-cit the sewn edges of the page blocks, and drying the gluing-01f adhesive may be carried out; Te efiect this purpose the page blocks}are. passedfalong a predetermined path and. into engagement with'the means 1 f or accomplishing the several operations, these means beingpositioned atsequential'locations along the path of ad'vance'mentof the page blocks. A furtherfobject isto so combine the several operations as to reduce fthe hand labor involved and increase the rapidity of the operations and increase thevolum'e ofbooks which maybeprocessed in a given time; (An additional objectof the invention is to eliminate the waste resulting from mishandling] I A still further object oithis invention is to provide an apparatlls of a continuousoperaticnal type which may be readily combined and made an integral part of a continuous type book manufacturing process, p Other objects of the invention and the advantages flowin from the use of the apparatus and method of the invention will be noted from the description set forth below. For purposes or illustration and to. more clearly describe the invention. reference is made tothe-drawingafin which Figs. 1a, 1b, 1c and 1d are schematic, perspec tive, sequential views of an apparatus embodying the principles of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the feed assembly of the apparatus;

' Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section, taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

. Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, of the feed assembly as taken along the lined-4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5is a section through the apparatus taken along the line 55 in Fig. 2;

Figs. 6 and 7 are plan and side views respectively of the jogger assembly;

Fig. 8 is a section taken through the end shee adhesive applicator as indicated by the line 8-8 in Fig. 1b;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the end sheetfeed taken along the line 99 as indicated in "Fig. lb; Fig. 10 is 'a side elevation'of the apparatus as shown schematically in Fig. 1c;

Fig. ll is a sectional view taken along the line llll inFig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1d;

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the apparatus taken along the line I3-l3 in Fig. 12, and

Fig; 14 is a schematic perspective view of a modified form of the apparatus.

Referring first to Figs. la, lb, 1c, ld,'a brief overall description of the operations and apparatus will be given in order to facilitate the comprehension of the invention.

Book page blocks Ill, which are comprised of a plurality of signatures which have been sewn'together, are placed side by side on belt conveyor ll (Figs. la and 5),-the sewn or binding edge of all the page blocks beingplaced downwardythat is, in contact with the belt conveyor II. The belt each successive page block forward in the direction of the machine. The page block is moved forward sufilciently to be placed between'the four vertical rollers I 5 and I6, which are rotating and draw the page block toward the machine and feed it to a pusher chain conveyor consisting 'of pusher bars I! mounted on endless chains l8, which are carried and driven by sprockets I9. The pusher bars are round in shape and are rotatably mounted on the endless chains 18 so that they may rotate slightly when they come up into position against the rear end of the page block, to avoid scufiing the block as the latter moves forward from the rollers [6. As each page block is moved along it is supportedby a floor plate 20 and vertical sides 2 I.

Each successive page block is conveyed along in the straight line path, defined by the sides 2|, into contact with and over joggerrollers 22 which are located at approximately the'level of floor 20 in the path of the page blocks. The jogger rollers have non-circular configurations and, in the present embodiment, comprise a set of four rollers of substantially square cross-section which are disposed in line along the path of the page blocks. The jogger rollers 22' rotate in opposite directions to each other, and as the page block is advanced over the rollers it is jogged so that its constituent signatures are brought into alignment in a level position to facilitate the applying of an even coating of adhesive to the sewn page block in the gluing-off process. An opening is provided in the floor 20 Car - rubber.

rection tothe movement of the page block, that at the point where the jogger rollers are posisupplied to the discs 23 by transfer discs 25, as

will be more fully described below.

End. sheets 26 are fed at proper intervals into buckle plate folders 21 (see Fig. 9) and are dropped into vertical chutes 28, which are positioned on either side of. the path of the page block- Transverse slots 29 are provided near the bottom of the vertical chutes 28 and are sized to permit the passage of the pusher bars ll therethrough. The end sheets 26,'which have been dropped down the vertical chutes 28, are

advanced by the pusher bar 11, which is propelling the page block H). The end sheets move along V-shaped channels 30, which converge on the path of the page block (see Fig. 1b), and

they are thus brought into contact with the page block and particularly into-contact with the narrow adhesive band along the bottom edges of the outside signatures. The page block, with the end sheets thus in position, passes between side rollers 31, which are disposed on either side of thepath of the page block and apply sufiicient pressure to the page block along the bottom edge thereof to press the end sheets into adhesive contact with the narrow adhesive band which has been applied to the outside signatures of the page block.

The page block, with the end sheetsthus adhesively attached to it, is advanced along the path into engagement with the belt conveyor shown in Fig. 10, which consists of two belts 32 running vertically parallel in the direction initiated by the pusher bar conveyor.

The page block is engaged and held firmly on each side by belt pressure and requires no bottom support.

As the page block is advanced through the beltv conveyor 32, it passes over a glue-off assembly,

laps its predecessor.

4 positioned below its path, which consists of two main rollers 33, 34, each with a driven doctor roller, as will be described. The roller 33 is a non-resilient roller and may be made of any suitable metal such as brass. Roller 33 applies ameasured amount of adhesive to the sewn back of the pageiblock and is rotated in the direction of the book; its peripheral speed being the same as the speed of the advancing page block. The second roller, or roller 34, is resilient and may be covered with a suitable material such as soft The roller 34 rotates in the opposite diis, in the opposite direction to the applicator roller 33. The second roller 34 wipes off all excess adhesive from the back of the book and, further, presses adhesive into the crevices between the signatures for better binding.

The page block with the adhesive applied to its sewnedge, is advanced along additional belt conveyors comprising vertically parallel conveying'belts 35 which hold the page block firmly 0n eachside by belt pressure and continue to advance italong the path and carry it over electric heaters and reflectors 36, which are positioned directly below and along the path of the page block. The reflectors and their associated electric heaters 36 may be lowered, manually or automatically, and moved out of their. position directlybelow the machine in order to prevent fire incase of stoppages, These belts may be adapted to move thebooks forward-at slower speed than the other conveyors associated with the machine and reduce the distance between the page blocks thereby, thus adding to the drying time for a given distance of travel. As each page block advances beyondthe electric heaters 36. and while stilllin a vertical position, it is transferred from the side conveyor belts 35 to the bottom conveyor belt 31, which carries the page block forward between vertical sides 38, 33. As the page block is advanced along the conveyor belt 31 thevertical side 39 terminates and the vertical sidev 38 encroaches diagonally on the path of the page block and inclines slightly out of the vertical position so as to tip the page block over on its side and onto two parallel conveying belts 40 of equal speed which have a space between them to facilitate taking pageblocks ofi by hand. The speed of these belts can be varied with relation to the machine speed in or der to vary the distance between books for purposes, ojfstacbking... With regard to the discharge belts 31 and. 40, it will be noted that the belt 37 generally must travel faster than the drying belts 35 in order to attain sufficient clearance between the page blocks to permit the toppling actionbn to conveyor belt 40 becaus the page blocks as they are received from the slower movingbelts 35 ,are inclose head-to-head order. The belt 35v is so arranged that the page blocks overhangslightly on the inboard side, that is the side adjacent to side wall 39. The overhang has been found desirable to give a better toppling action. Thus, when each page block is started .on its angular fall by the side plate 38 it transiers cleanly from belts 31 to belts 40. The speed of belts 40 may be suitably regulated so that the books, as theytopple onto the belts are arranged for convenient handling. One satisfactory arrangement is to have the belts 40 moving at a speed such that each successive page block over- The overlapping arrangement permitseasy handling of the books as they move out along belts 40.

trated schematically in Fig. la, and ;referring, particularly to Fig. 5, the conveyor belt H isinclined downward towards the machine (the horizontal dash line indicates the planeoi the machine as a whole). The vertical rollers 15 and 16, the cam pusher 13,- the cam 14, and the vertical stop I2 are tilted at an angle which corresponds to the incline of the conveyor belt H. The page blocks, placed in side-by-side position with their binding edgesdownward, are kept endwise alignment by the vertical sides 41,42. The incline of the conveyor belt II and of the entire book feed assembly facilitates the loading of books on the conveyor belt for the incline of the belt keeps the end book from falling over on its side.

Side 42 is adjustable toward and away from the conveyor belt to accommodate page blocks of various lengths, adjustment being "made by releasing bolts 43 (see Fig. 4) and moving the guide 42 either toward or away from the conveyor by sliding the supporting arm 44 along the slot 45therein and resetting the bolt at the desired-position. A similar adjustment of; the cam pusher, for the length of the page block, can be made by moving the cam pusher'assembly toward or away from the machine by releasing bolts 45 and sliding the assembly along slots'4'l and resetting the bolts at the desired position.

The cam-operated pusher l3 has a horizontal reciprocating action with a relatively short stroke. As shown in Fig. 2 it is provided with page block contacting faces 48 which are sized to slide along the slots 49 provided in the vertical stop H, which is positioned at themachine end of the conveyor belt H. The cam pusher I3 is guided and supported by rollers 50: mounted on the cam pusher and arranged to move along trackways Cam follower 52 is rotatably and slidably mounted in slot 53 of the cam pusher and is also mounted in the cam track 54. Cam 54 is actuated by drive wheel 55, which is geared to the periphery gear of the wheel .56 which carries the cam. a

The rotation of wheel 56 causes cam 54 to draw the cam follower and the attached pusher through the eccentric path defined by the cam and to thereby impart to the cam pusher a horizontal and relatively short reciprocating stroke;

the periodic movement of the cam pusher toward the machine propels successive page blocks between and into engagement with the vertical rollers l5 and IS, the faces 48 of the cam-pusher l3 being of such widthqthat they contact and propel forward only one page block at a time. The four perpendicular rollers i5 and [6 are spaced apart, two on each side of the path of the page block, so as to come-into pressure engagement with the sides of the page block. They are rotated in the direction of the machine, so

that, by their rotating pressurecontact against the sides or the page block, they moveg the page block endwise in the direction initiated by thev cam pusher Hi. The rollers l5 and Ware actuated by the drive wheel 51, whichrotates in the direction indicated in Fig. 3. The perpendicular rollers l5 and I6 and their associated drives are laterally adjustable, .to receive page blocks of various thicknesses, by releasingithe bolts 58 and sliding the roller assemblies along the slots to;

the desired position. The page blocks are thereafter advanced along a path which is defined by the vertical side walls between endless chains [8, which are supported and driven by sprockets IS. The page blocks are fed to the pusher .bars IT by the rollers l5 and I6 and are contacted by the pusher bars as they are emerging from the rollers IS. The transfer from the rollers IE to the roundpusher bars ll issuch that each page block is contacted by a pusher bar while it isstillin motions as a result of the impetus given by the rollers and while the bar is traveling'in a rotationaldirection around the chain sprockets 19. Such an arrangement avoids abruptchanges in acceleration of the page block during the transfer from the rollers to the pusher bars. It will be noted that the rollers l6 are relatively shorter than the rollers l5, to provide. suflicient clearance for the pusher bars l1, their chains 18 andsprockets l9, as best shown in Fig. 2. Throughout the feed portion of the apparatus, the page blocks are at an angle to the level position of the machine, although they are continuously in a perpendicular position with respect to the conveyor H. the stop l2, the cam pusher l3, and the rollers I5 and Hi, all of which are at an angle to the generalplane of the machine, as indicated by the dashed line in Fig. 5. To bring the page block, into a vertical upright position with respect to the general horizon of the machine. the portion of the side wall is slightly inclined at the end nearest the vertical rollers I6 and curves gently to the vertical upright position of the walls 2!, urging the page block l0 into the vertical position as it is advanced along the path.

Each page block as it is advanced along the path defined bythe walls 2| and the floor 20 moves into engagement with jogger rollers 22, the floor 20 terminating at a point slightly in advance of the jogger rollers and the jogger rollers being positioned in the path of and below the page block and substantially at the level. of the floor 20. The jogger rollers may be square or of any other suitable noncircular cross-section such that they will impart a bumping or jogging action to the page blocks as they are rotated. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, it will be noted that the Joggers illustrated are substantially square, with slightly bevelled edges to prevent any damageto the page blocks as the jogger rollers 22 are rotated and the page blocks are moved thereover. It has been found desirable to rotate the jogger rollers i Qppositedirections to each other, that is, the rollers adjacent to each other are rotated in opposite directions. However, other rotational patterns are also satisfactory. They may also be rotated at difierent speeds by a suitable arrangement of. the gears, As shown in Fig. 6, the Joggers are driven by chain 18, which is. one of conveyor assembly chains, and sprocket 52, the sprocket 62 beingmounted on the hub 63 of the initial joggerroller 22, the subsequent jogger rollers being geared directly one with zit-1am effect a leveling or; alignment or the ewn signatures of the'page block. i

After the page bl 'ck leaves the; jogger-- roller station; I it is again supported by "the floorifl, the

page block thereafteradvancing between ad'- hesive applyingdiscs 2 3 whichare positioned on either side ofthe path and; contact-the outsidesignatures of-the page; block anarrow' strip speed ofthe' advancing page blqclg The discs 23- are. supplied with adhesive byvertically dis-'- posed' transfer discs 2 5,'whichare partially sub-' merged in the glue reservoirs 65 and carry the;

adhesiveup to the adhesive applic'ator discsand transfer-the adhesive t'o said applicator discs by a rolling contact madebetween said-discs: The discs themselves are not; in actual physie'al contact fora gap is provided between, thediscs. The

adhesive bridges, the; gap betweenflthe discs and:

transfers from discs25 to discs2 3. Vertical discs 251are laterally adjustable, to vary the gap" between the discs in order to control'thebasic amount of" adhesiv transf r d; his m un ing s ject to further doctoring prior tocontac'tingthe p ge: ocks- Re errin e Fi 8;, slots; fe e provided in thehl bS, [O l of; the discs 2 5;with set screws I02 disposed in' the hubs. lfljjparallel t the shaft. 65 and adaptedflt'o span the slots I00; nediscs 25' may b moved aterally on. t e 'u Ines. I11 wh chare s cured. in. posi on; on f 69. by sc ew. iiioadiust the. c e rance with the s s 23- Af erthe discs 5. hav b ens ita ly' adjusted. the setscrews; [02 are tightened to lock e hubs I01 in he desir dnos ions nQ e shaft 6'9. Each disc 25 rotates in t he direction indicated by the arrows with; respect, to its associated disc 23.; this rotation i effected through bevel gears 65; and 61, which are mounted respectively on, the axes ofi thegdiscs ,25 and 23, The discs, 25 and 23. are actuated by an endless hain mounted. on. sproek tgfifi; hicb urn is un on thevv shaft. 6.9. wh ch. rr es 115 .515

and bevel gear 65. v'Ilhe discs; 23 can be laterally ius dto r eivepage blnckso dif e ent t kJ-' nesse$,. t e adi .st nent.v bein accomplishe by moving one glue. pot, laterally by means suchas the.- sorew adjustmentllljfshown in Fig 8, the shaft 59 being adjustment. I I I v The page block is their advanced to the end hee rec iving s ation, a whic f wq n olde and sheets 25 have been red between their i e-. pective; feed rollers 1 as. hown ni'F sl 9.. n o

buc le. pla e. fol ers it. the hee s. avi g been slid up slots. [4 to. the, stop I buckled and. folded an han dow hrou h folding ollers 1,6, which are olling contact th. the. ow of: t e t ed rollers. Iii-l e. en sheets. 6 after t passed. rou e. f l rollers 16,. dropped down vertical c utes 28,"with their folded edges do-wn into. V shaped channels 30, where, they are engaged the p lfiherbar I-l moving the, page 'blo'clg; along the, path; the pusher bar moving through the transverse slots 29. The 'end sheets are pushed forward in V- shaped channels '30 which are parallel to the path of the page blockand. conver e o the; pan or the page block at;1=1'-' (see Fig. 1-6)) The end sheets are thus brought into contact with the outer signatures of'the page block and the narw s. h afte in. two parts, tojallosv' the lateral;

rowadhesive bandat -the. bottom 7 of said outside signatures; Froin the point where. glue-.isapplied in narrow" strips 24 until: the. end sheets move into contact with the strips, thepageblocks are kept; from sticking toithe sidewalls, 2i by pro-.

viding recessedchannels'inthewalls 2i adjacent thefloor-'20, as bestishown in Fig. 9. The end sheets and page block-are then advanced by the pusher bar 11 between narrow side rollers or wheels-31 which arepositioned on either side of the path of thepageblock'. The rollers 3t are sodisposed= that theyexert" a pressure against,

the end: sheets suchv that the latter are pressed into adhesive contact with: thevnarrow band of adhesive on the-signaturesof the page block, the rollers- 3 I are rotated. in the. direction in which th page-block-and endsheets areadvancing; and the.- peripheral' speed: of the rollers is thersame as that of theadvancing page. block. Suitable adjustment means, such a screw adjustment H4, as shown, in Fig; 1 1*, is provided topermitthe rollers to be laterally adjusted to receive page blocks of various thicknesses'and also to adjust the pressure against the page blocks being .processed'. The wormdrive gear H6 is surfipath- Off the page block. When such stationary sealing elements aresubstituted forthe side rollers 31-, thevertical-side belts 32 are-extended to a point onelboolo length from the last contact with the pusher-bars Il The spring-loadedsealing elements I05, as shownin Fig. 14, may be placed immediately below. the belts 'lll", corresponding to the-belts- 32: in Figplc, for sealing the end sheets to the-pageblock while all are moved forward by thebelts. Thepusher bar ll,

; which has advanced thepage block through the machine to this position, moves out of engagement withthe' page block 'as it is received between thebelts 3201 I06;

The floor 20 continues a short distance after the belts 32 have moved into engagement with the page blocks, but terminates at-the gluingofl station-which is-best shown in Figs. 10 and 11.

The gluing-off station comprises a. glue reservoir' 7-3 in which are partially submerged the 'glu ing-oif rollers'3'3 and 3'4. A nonhygroscopic, high solid, quick} drying adhesive has been found suitable for; use in the reservoir. As previously described; roller. 33 has'a hard non-resilient surface and applies a coating of adhesiveto the sewn edges of the page block'androtates in the direction of the; advancing page block, and the roller; 34- has, a resilient contacting surface of softrubber'which'rotates in'a direction opposite to the advancing'page blocks andhas two functions, one'to' forcethe glue which has been applied to the sewn binding edge into and between the signatures the second tunction is to Wipe the excess glue from the binding edge of the page block. 1 Each of these rollers has associated with it a; smaller doctor roller moving in a direction opposed to that of the rollerwith which it is assoc-iated so that the surfaces Of the large and small rollers in contact travel together. The function of the doctor roller 33a associated with the adhesive applying-roller 3a is to'regulate the in Fig. 14.

amount of adhesive applied to the sewn edgeof the page block. The doctor-roller34a associated .with the wiper roller 34 operates to remove the excess adhesive from the roller 34. The wiper roller 34 rotates in the-adhesive .to prevent any drying or caking on the rollerfand theadhesive picked up by the wiperrolier34 is;removed by its associated doctor roller 34a. During the gluing-off operation, the page blocks are supported and advanced by the belts32, which are in pressure contact with thesides of thepage block, there beingno support below the page block. In order to give easy access to the gluingofi assembly, the glue reservoir 18 and the rollers 33 and .34 positioned therein are mounted in a carriage 1.9 which is supported by pivotally mounted links Bu -so thatthe carriage may be swung downand out ofoperativeposition to the position as shown in Fig. .11. When the glue reservoir is in the lowered position, the entire reservoir may be removed: from the carriage. 19. When moved into operative engagement, the gear train 8| of the glue-oil assembly meshes with the gear 82 of the drive wheel 83. H

The applying of adhesiveto the binding edge of page blocks may be carried out ina number of ways other than that described in the foregoing paragraph.

In the illustrated form the adhesives used in the gluing-off operation are.I the conventional latices which are applied cold and are forced to dry at high speed by radiant heaters. However, it will also be appreciated that the apparatus can be adapted for the use of "hot melt gluingoff adhesives which must be heated to liquid form in the glue-pot and solidified on the binding edge of the page block by exposure to circulating air. To effect the changeover for use of a hot melt adhesive in the present apparatus heaters, such as the heating coils 101, shown in Fig. 14, would be applied to theremovable glue reservoir Hi8, corresponding to the reservoir 18 in Figs. 10 and 11, The heating elements 35, shown in Figs. 1c, 1d and 12, wouldbe replaced in the drying conveyor with suitable aircirculating means such as the small electric fansor'blowersglflfl shown As the page block advances beyond the gluingofi assembly, it passes between'thevertically parallel belts 35 and out of engagementiwith the vertically parallel belts 32. The belts 35 also support and convey the page block by pressure against its sides, no. support from below, being required. The flat belts-32 and 35 are carried against idler rollers orpul1eys84 and when there areno books in the machine thebeltsnaturally sag. However, the pulleys 84 are machined with a slight crown so that .yvhen a book passes through the belts the pressureexerted by thebook through the belt, against the ,crownedpulleys, is suflicient to make the belts climb to a position centered on the pulleys and supportthe books at the proper level. Rods-l2 positioned above the belts hold the pages Of the page'block together so that they do nottendto fanout as they are moved along by -belts 32 and 35. The

rectly below the pathof the' pag'e block inbrder to prevent fire in case there isia'stoppageor 'the The] heaters are pivotallyi 10 machine, theheaters beingi'mov'ed dowii .aiiiaii from theiroperational .positionby movement of the handle 81', whichistpivotally mountedtoxthe frame 'apparatusat 88 and. connected .to 'theic'ar-i riage 89,.iwhich' supportsthe heaters, bythe'link 99,. which-is pivotally connected to. the carriage 89-at 9i and to the handle assembly at 92., During operation of the, machine. the heaters; may. be suitably arranged for automatic lowering out of position whengthe machine stops from anyv cause, the handle 87 being provided to permit :manual lowering of the heater aSsemb1y-if,desired.-. 1 The rollers 84 positioned along the sidesiof the path of the page blocks give a uniform pressure. support to the page blocks as :they are moved along by thebeltsj35, the belts beingckept under suificienttension by means of adjustable tension take up rollers 85. -To" insure sufiicient support, pressure is exerted against the page blocks during thejidrying stage, it being de-;

sirablethat the page blocks donut come into, engagement with the electrical; heaters ,36 and.

thereby become burned. However, it has been found that the belts will maintain the page blocks in their proper verticalposition with only a slight side pressure. eiently light so that a page block may be .re-

moved easilyby hand from the conveyor at any point without disturbing 1 the belts or the 'ad-.

livery point vas descr-ibediabove r At. two points along the path which block travels 'arepositioned rejectmeans for re-n jecting pagewblocks in the one case and. end

by springs l i2, shown in Figs. la and 6. The trap 93 is actuated by a solenoid mechanism 1 13,

shown in Figs. la andfi; which operatestoreject the pageblockin the event the end. sheet feeder fails to feed either orboth sheets. The end sheet reject qperates,- if, through some mechanical failure, neither or onlyoneof the end sheets is.

fed to the end sheet folder. The presence or.

absence of sheets is detectedon the paper feeder table (not shown) several feet in advance of the folder. The end sheet inspection ismade in advance of the end sheet folderbecause if it is necessary .to reject a page block because of.;the absence of one or both endsheets it desirable toefiect the rejectionprior; to the application of, adhesive tothesides of the page block. If an end. sheet is missing. the page block and the other end sheet are rejected, the endsheets being deflected from their normal path into a waste pile by tipping the end sheet feed slots 94 spring 91. The presence or absence of both page block and/or end .sheet's may be detected and the rejects actuated bythe usual photofelectric cell equipment or other suitable means.

The pressure necessary. is sufli-v the page i It will be noted thatfall the operations of. this invention are carrie'd out bnthe successive page blocks as they pass through the machine with their binding edges down, the operations involving-lthe-binding. edges and the outside signatures along their edges adjacent to the binding. edge of the page block. There being little or no variation. for different size books in this particular area, no vertical adjustment is required. However, the stops '5 on the-folder plates Hi (see Fig. 9) must be reset to properly position the folds in the end sheets for books of diiierent widths. The steps 15 are easily-reset by releasing set screws'lli I When the bulk or the thickness ot-the book to be processed changes. certain adjustments are necessary along the path throughout the machine. These adjustments are all effected on one side 01' the machine as we have already noted with regard to the rollers l5 and '|B',-;side adhesive applying discs 23 and side rollers'a I. Sim-- ilarly in the case of the side belts 3'2 and came adjustment is made on one side by moving" the entire supporting assembly for the side belts. This adjustment may be made by releasing set screws (not shown).

It should be noted that the apparatus for this invention is so designed that itjca'n be used solelyas an end sheet applying machine orjif desired solely as a gluing-oi! machine. For example, if

the long drying conveyorsh'own in Figs. 1c, -1d,' 12 and 13 is removed and thedischarge conveyor shown at the right hand'side oiFigJ-ld is placed adjacent to the end-of the gluing unit, the*ma' chine would then be suitable for folding an'd' pasting end sheets to page blocks. Such ail-endsheet machine may be utilized in applying end'she'et's to perfect bound books which have noneedior back gluing. z r;

Similarly by eliminating the end sheetfold-ing and pasting operations shown in Figs. 1b, 8 and 9 and positioning the book feed conveyor -as-' sembly and the jogger assembly'adjacen't to the gluing-off assembly, the apparatus may {be uti-= lized as a gluing-oiimachine. The process and apparatus set out in the sp'e'cii fication and'the invention embodied in thei'described apparatus efficiently fulfill the objects and purposes of the invention and providean eili cient and rapid continuous operationalsystem for pasting (and sheets to the outer signatures of the page blocks and gluing-off the sewn-edgesof the page blocks. The inventio'n'may' be eni= ployed with equal advantage in the processing of thick or thin books. I This invention-contemplates an entirely new concept in book manufacture in thatthe method and apparatus are based entirely on" continuous operations on successive single work units. Prior gluing machines have glued books in groups of' more than one depending upon the bulk of the book, the grouping of books for eacho'peration requiring a considerable number or manual operations. The apparatus or thisinvention in which the books are handled singly aiter being received from a large book iced h'opperelimina'tes the necessity for the manual labor involved in' groupinga'nd ungrouping books'into multiplesz 1. In accordance with the provisionsof the patent statutes, the principles of this" invention have been described together with the best mode of applying those principles. Howevenlit should be understood that the structure di'sclosedis but one mode of utilizing the invention, andthe'; structure disclosed is merely illustrative, for theinvention maybe carried out. by other and alternative means. :Also, while it is contemplated to use various featuresand elements in the combinations and relations described, some of these may be altered: and modified in ways other'than those suggestedyrwithout departing from the spirit and scopeiof the invention. I 7

We claim'tml. In the manufacture of' books, the apparatus for pasting end sheets to the outside signatures of page blocks and gluing-off the sewn edges of the-page blocks; comprising, a jogger adapted to settle the signatures of the page block into alignment, adhesive applying means arranged to 'apply adhesive to the'o'utsidesignatures in a narrow-strip along the-sides adjacent'the sewn signature edge, means 'fori conveyin end sheets into position alongside the 'outside signatures, means topress th'eflend sheets into adhesive contact with the adhesive coated portion'of the signatures, a second adhesive applying means adapted to glueoff-the-sewn edge nf-thepage blocks, a drier positioned to dry' 'th'e glue which has been applied to said sewn edge, and means for continuously conveying the page blocks into position successively-with the -jogger, the several recited meansa-nd the drier.

2. In the manufacture of books, the apparatus'for applying end sheets to the outside signatures of page blocks composed of several signatures which have been sewn togethenand gluing-'ofithe binding edges of the page blocks, comprising, conveying means for continuously advancingsuccessivepage'blocks along a predetermined path into "engagement with, a jogger adapted to align the signatures of the page block, adhesive applying means adapted to apply adhesive in a narrow strip to the outsidesignatures of the page block adjacent to the binding edges, asecond conveying means for advancing successive end sheets into-position alongside the outside-signatures,"means' to press the end sheets into adhesive contact with the adhesive coated portion of the outside signatures, a second adhesiveapplying means adapted to glue-off the binding edge of thepage blocks; and a drier positioned to dry the glue which has been applied to said binding edge.

.3. In the manufacture of books, the apparatus for applying end sheets-to the outside signatures of page blocks composed of several signatures which have been 'sewn'together, and gluing-oii the binding'ed'ges of the page blocks, comprising, a means for continuously conveying successive page blocks in avertical upright position withtheir binding edges downward, endwise, along a predetermined path and into engagement with a jogger, an "adhesive applying means adapted to apply-a narrow strip of adhesive to the outside signatures,along the edges which are adjacent to the binding edge ofthe page block, means-for conveying and positioningsuccessive pairs of end sheets intopo'sition alongside the outside signatures; means to press the end sheets into adhesive contact with the coated strips on the signatures,-and a second adhesive applying means positioned below the path of the page blocks and adapted to glue-oil the, binding edge of the page blocks and a drying means also positioned below the path and adapted to dry the aghes'ive which has gbeen applied to the binding e ge.

4. Inthe manufacture of books, the apparatus comprising, conveying means for continuously advancing successive page blocks endwise in a vertical upright position with their binding edges downward along a predetermined path, a jogger operable on each advancing page block, adhesive applying means arranged to apply a narrow strip of adhesive to the outside sheets of each advancing page block adjacent to the binding edge of said page block, other conveying means for advancing end sheets into position alongside the outside sheets of each advancing page block, means to press the end sheets into adhesive contact with the strips of adhesive on the outside sheets of each advancing page block, other adhesive applying means arranged to apply adhesive to the binding edge of each advancing page block, and a drier arranged to dry the adhesive applied to the binding edge of each advancing page block.

EDWIN K. SMITH, JR.

CHARLES W. BUCKLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Eli-edge Oct. 24, 1911 Juengst Apr. 16, 1912 Gullberg Jan. 19, 1915' Juengst Sept. 3, 1918 Welch Sept. 9, 1919 Story May 31, 1921 Skeppstedt June 12, 1923 Alger May 12, 1931 Kleineberg Aug. 18, 1931 Beall June 21, 1932 Cutler June 28, 1932 Ackley Jan. 1, 1935' Hotchkiss Oct. 22, 1935 Schramm June 27, 1939 Schramm Feb. 13, 1940 Holm Dec. 31, 1940 Hallowell Apr. 11, 1944 Olson Jan. 14, 1947 

